Fastener for bags, cases, and other containers



April 27, 1948. F. s. SMITH 2,440,595

FASTENER FOR BAGS, CASES, AND OTHER CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 15, 1944I 2 sheets-sheet 1 W WM A NN NNNNNN A A W N NNNN A A A Mw .f NN N lNN A o NN WE A M NN NNN .RN N y NNN N NN NN @hm/TN A, N N .E NN NM1.; A jm A NN f MW NN NN NNNN NN NN NN NN A NN NN A A NN NNNNNN NN, NN. NN NN N N NN NNN NN//NN N .M NN NN NN N N A N INN INNM W MI w lH- N NNNN Nv NNN NN N N NN. NN NN\ NN NNWNN 2 Sheets-Sheet v2 April 2,7, 1948. F. s. SMITH FASTENER FOR BAGS, CASES, AND OTHER CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 15, 1944 Patented Apr. 27, 1948 ori-ICE FASTENER FOR BAGS, CASES, AND

OTHER CONTAINERS Fred Spencer Smilih Blackwell, Darlington,

ngland Application December 15, 1944, Serial No. 568,381

In Great Britain December 3, 1943 section 1, Public Law 69o, August s, 194s Patent expires December 3, 1963 5 Claims. (Cl. 292-25) vThis invention relates `to fasteners for bags, cases and other containersof the kind which are provided with two or more spaced fasteners, and has for its object to provide an arrangement by which the bag or `other container can be unfastened more simply than hitherto. A

According to the present invention means for fastening a bag or other container comprises two spaced fasteners and a common operating member or pair of members operativelyconnected to both fasteners to unfasten them when thesaid member or pair of members is actuated. With this arrangement the bag or other container can be unfastened by a single actuation'of the member or members instead of its being necessary to actuate each fastening separately as has been the case hitherto. v

According to a feature of the inventioneach fastener comprises a catch which is spring-biased to move to an unfastened position in which it a1- lows of the container being opened, and a latch for holding the catch in its fastened position, which latch is operatively connected to one operating member for operation thereby to release the catch.` According to another feature of theinvention a third fastener is disposed between the other two fasteners, and the operating 'member or members forms anintegral part of the third fastener. The third fastener is preferably of the self-fastening type which automatically fastens the container when the latter is closed.

Several constructions in accordance with this invention will now be described, by way of examplelonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a hand-bag incorporating a frame in accordance with the inven-A tion;

Figure 2 is an under-plan of the frame of the bag;`

Figure `3 is a section on the line 3--13 of Figure 2 through the frame; Y VFigure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is adetail section showing a modification of the frame, and Y `Figure 6 is a rear elevation of another construction applicable to Aboxes or cases. l

The bag Ill (Figure 1) `is of well-known construction and is made of a flexible material with rectangular sides, ends and bottom and'with its rectangular top open and framed by a metal frame shown in Figures 2, 3` and 4. The frame comprises two metal parts II and I2 which are L-shaped in section and are securedto the `sides 2 of the open top of the bag. These frame parts are hingedly connected together in any known manner so that they can be moved together to close the bag or be separated to open the bag.

As shown in Figure 2, the parts are connected at each end by a link I3 pivoted to them aat its ends I 4 and I5' and articulated at its mid-point I6 so that it will fold up as shown in Figure 2 when the bag is closed.` The ends of the open topof the bagyfare secured to the links I3.

Aknown type of fastener I1 is mounted on the part `I2 of the frame and has two operating buttons I8 slidablyV mounted in it and the buttons are biased by a spring, not shown, to move apart. A catch I9 projects inwardly from each button I8 through a slot 20 in the-part I2 and engages in aneyelet 2| carried by the part II of the frame when the frame parts II and I2 are closed against one another. The catches I9 are formed with oppositely directed heads 22, as shown in Figure 2, which are so shaped that the catches are moved together as each head 2'2 engages its eyelet 2| and then spring apart into the eyelets to secure the two parts II" and l2 of the frame together. The ,bag is unfastened by pressing the two operating' buttons I8 together so that the catches I9 are moved towards one another and disengaged from the eyelets 2I. It is usual, in this type of bag, toprovide an end fastener on each end of the frame part I I which clips over the end of the frame part I2 to hold the parts II and I2 of the frame together at their'ends and,

Vin prior constructions, it is necessary to release these two end fasteners before the fastener I'I is actuated to unfasten thebag so that three separate manual operations are needed to open the bag or re'ffasten it securely. In thepresent construction both en d fasteners are released automatically whenthe fastener I'I is actuated to unffasten the bag.

The two end fasteners are identical so`only one will be described. Each comprises a catch 23 which is channel-shapedin section to embrace the ends of both frame parts II and I2 and hold them together. The catch'23 is pivoted in a housing 24, secured on top of the frame part II,

by means of a pin 25 secured to the catch and `rotatable in the housing. A spring 2B inthe housing biases the catch to swing outwardly and upwardly clear of the end 21 of the frame part I2'so that the ends of the frame parts II and riveted to an inwardly turned portion |32 of the frame part I2. When the catch 23 is engaged with the frame parts II and I2, as shown, to hold them together, the latch 29 is engaged with the eyelet and holds the catch in the position shown against the spring load onit. The latch 29 is shaped as shown and the eyelet28 is disposed above the pivot 39 and moves along an arcuate path about the pin 25 when the catch` 23 is swung down against the end of the-fname...l

The eyelet will thus be moving upwardly along'.

a line to one side of, and above, the pivot 30 when it engages the latch 29 and'will cam the' latch upwardly to pass beneath it whereupon the latch will hook into the eyelet.

A link 32 is articulated to each latch 29-at` 93' and to the nearer catch I9 at 34 so that the catch I9 holds the latch 29 in the latching positionY shown. It should be noted that the movement of the latch when it snaps over and hooks into'tlie eyelet 28 as described above is imparted to the catch I9 and moves thev catch I9 and the button. I8- against the spring load on the latter. but thisonthern- The bag` can then be opened. Onclos.- e

ingtheV bag, the catches I9 will engage into the eyelets-2|v and automatically fastenthebag. The

fastening thus. provided` is not'entirely secure.

but can be made so by closing downthe end catches. 23 which are automatically latcheddown as already described.

Thefconstruction can be'adapted for use where the central fastener I-'I has only one. operating button i9 and one latch I9 by modifying the end fastener at one end only as shown in Figure 5. It will be seen that the latch 29 has been modified so that it rocks down instead of up to disengage itself from the eyelet 28 so thatthe direction in. which the link is moved torelease the end fastener is reversed as compared with the construction shown in Figure 2.V Thus whenv the operating button moves to the left as does the right-hand button in Figures 1 and 2, the righthand end fastener is arranged as shown in FiguresZ and 3 and the left-hand end fastenerv as shown `in Figure 5 with both links 32. connected to the single catch I9 so that movement of this catch to the left releases both end fasteners. In this construction a single link 32 common to both end fasteners may be used as indicated inFigure 5. The construction shown in Figure 5maybe usedatboth ends of the bag when there are two catches I9, but the links 32 must then be arranged to connect each latch 29 to the'V catch I9 furthest from it so that thelinks 32- cross one another. 1ffor this reason the construction shownV in Figures 2te eis preferred.

The heads 22-of the catches I9 maybe removed'v alongthe Vdotted line 35; in Figure 2-1toget'herA with the-eyelets 2l' so that the central. fastener does not operateas suchbut merely as means for operating the end fasteners together.

Figure r-illustrates the application of the invention to a pair of self-fastening. fasteners for abox or case. lila-chr fasteneris of known construction andcomprisesa part 40 secured to the lidof the boxfor case. and. having a. catch'V 4I hinged to it at 42 and formed with an eyelet 43 to enter a slot 44 in a face-plate 45 secured on the lower part of the box; a latch 46 is mounted to slide on the back of the face plate and is biased by a spring 4l to engage in the. eyelet 43 to retain the catchinl the position shownl against the bias of a spring, not shown, that tends to swing the catch up and away from the face-plate. The latch 46 is secured to a button 48 on the front .of themes-plate. and can be slid out of engagement with the. eyelet 43 by manipulating this button. A pillar 49 ismounted on each latch 46 to ex- `tend'through a' slot in the box and one end of a link 59 is pivoted on each pillar within the box. The other ends. of the link 59 are articulated to cllpcsite'ends of a lever 5I which is centrally pivoted by` a pin` 52y on a plate 53 secured to the lower. partof the' box. The latches 46 are thus interconnected to move oppositely and manipulation .ofi either fastener to unfasten it will also unfasten the other fastener, thus making it easier to open the case. A.turn.buckle 54may be secured onr the pin 52'- which is also secured to. the lever.V S-so that both fasteners -canbe unfasftened by turning the turn-buckle. l

I claim:

1. Means for fastening a container, compris-- ing two spaced catches` each movable4 between a fastened position in. which it` prevents the. con

tainer. being. opened and an unfastenedposition.

inwh'ichitallows ofthe container being opened, a.. separate spring biasingeach catch toimoveto its unfastened position, a. separatelatcharranged to engage and. hold eachcatch initsfastened'V position, spring means biasing eachllat'ch tofengage itsl catch and common.. operating .means for actuating both latches` together to. release their'. catches.

2. Fastening means according toclaim Il comprisinga manually oper-able fastenerdisposedbetween the two catches which fastener. is.cor1 nected lto both latches to actuate. them to re.-v leasetheir catches when itis itself actuated to unfasten the f container and is. spring-biased. tov

fasten the container automatically, when thelatterv is closed and to biasthe latches toA engage their catches.

3'. A fastener for ay bag h'aving twoframe parts, connected together so that they canv be moved apart or together, comprising two catches mount.- edon one part of the frame. to move. eachrfrom. a fastened position` in which it embraces both parts of theframeto holdY them closed to anunfastened position in which it permits theparts to separate, a separate spring biasing eachfcatch to move it to its latter` position, a separate latch arranged toy engage and hold eachcatch in its fastened. position, and common operating means for actuating both latches to engage or release. theircatches.

4. A fastener according to claim 3, compris-- them and spring-biased to.v movetowards.` one end of the. frame to engage.` withV thectherr part FRED SPENCER SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ln the Ille of this patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Teed Dec. 11, 1894 Schnurr Nov. 30, 1897 Stallings -1 Feb. 8, 1916 Tarshis et al Oct. 30, 1917 Teel Oct. 14, 1919 Miller Oct. 22, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Number Great Britain Mar, 26, 1891 

